Lubricating pad for railway car journal



May 10, 1960 R 2,936,202

LUBRICATING PAD FOR RAILWAY CAR JOURNAL Filed Oct. 22, 1956 2 sheetgheet1 t n g x \V \Y; m 3 I? J 2 I at w I k 3 m I 2 a g i g l J 5 i \G K a 51 Q g E 5 g s al E E 61 6 \lo I I F v I "s f 1 X m 1 \Q Q I I 9 iInventor FRANKLN D. BARBER May L0, 1960 F. D. BARBER LUBRICATING PAD FORRAILWAY CAR JOURNAL Filed QGC. 22, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 eflicientrailway service.

United States Patent LUBRICATING PAD FOR RAILWAY CAR JOURNAL Franklin D.Barber, Flossmoor, 11L, assignor to Standard Car Truck Company, Chicago,111., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 22, 1956, SerialNo. 617,405

Claims. (Cl. 308243) The present invention relates to improvements injournal lubricating means for journal bearings of the type associatedwith railway car trucks.

The lubrication of railway car journal bearings has heretofore presentednumerous problems in railway car operation. The usual method oflubrication has entailed the use of oil-soaked waste which is packedinto the journal boxes in such a manner that the waste makes contactwith the underneath side of the journal, whereby the lubricant broughtinto contact with the journal by capillary or wick action is carried byrotation of the journal into contact with the bearing element or brasswhich normally seats on the upper portion of the journal. Attempts havebeen made to improve railway car lubrication and pads or other lubricantapplying devices have been substituted for the usual cotton wastematerial.

Such lubricant supplying devices have not been alt-ogether satisfactoryand have not avoided the frequent occurrence of hot boxes which is thecause of expensive damage to the journals as well as of annoying delaysin Such hot boxes are frequently caused by the migration of strands ofthe cotton waste into the space existing between the journal and itsbear- ;ing. member or brass, such inclusion of the waste being withinthe reservoir toward the underneath surface of the journal andultimately applies a uniform and thin film .of the lubricant to therotating journal by a continuous process whereby the journal isadequately supplied with lubricantat all times.

- The provision of a lubricating assembly of the character briefly setforth above being among the principal objects of the invention, afurther object is to provide such an assembly which, in addition to itslubricating function, further serves to filter or otherwise exclude thelubricant reservoir from the ingress of dust or other foreign matter,thus augmenting the action of the usual dust guard ordinarily associatedwith such lubricant reservoirs.

; A still further object of the invention is to provide a self-containedlubricating assembly of this sort which, when inserted within thelubricant reservoir, will readily assume the shape of the reservoir andcompletely fill the same while at the same time closely hugging theunderneath side of the rotating journal and offering thereto aneffective capillary action whereby the lubricant is continuously drawninto contact with the-journal.

Yet another object, in a lubricating assembly of this 2,936,202 PatentedMay 10, 1960 character, is to provide a novel form of sealing elementwhich closely hugs the inside shoulder of the journal axle and seals thesame against the transverse passage of dust, dirt or other foreignmatter along the axle and into the bearing space of the journal.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, not at this timeenumerated, will become more readily apparent as the nature of theinvention is better understood.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings forming a part of thisspecification, a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially centrallythrough a conventional journal box of a railway car truck showing theimproved lubricating means of the present invention operatively appliedthereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig.1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of a shortlength of wick material employed in connection with the presentinvention, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line5--5 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to Fig. 1, thejournal box of a railway car truck is designated in its entirety at 10and provides the usual lubricant reservoir 11 within which thelubricating means of the present invention is operatively installed. Thejournal box 10 is of conventional construction and may be formedintegrally with the side frames 12 and 13 of the car truck. An endopening 14 is closed by a journal box lid 15 hingedly mounted on a bolt16 carried in a pair of lugs 17 at the upper end of the journal box 10.

The journal box 10 is formed with a circular opening 20 adapted toreceive the journal 21 of a wheel axle 22. A dust guard bearing 23formed on the axle between shoulders 24 and 25 is fitted with aconventional split dust guard 26 inserted in the usual dust guard slot27 formed in the journal box 10.

The load on the side frames 12 and 13 is distributed by a wedge 28 ontoa journal bearing or brass 29 which rests on the top of the journal 21.As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the wedge 28 is disposed between shoulders 30and 31 formed on the journal box 10 and between vertical sides 32 and 33thereof. The bearing brass is limited in its endwise movement on thejournal 21 between the shoulder 25 and a collar 34 formed at the end ofthe journal. Sidewise movement of the brass is limited by the journalbox sides 32 and 33.

As previously set forth, journal box constructions have heretofore beenpacked with oil soaked waste which contacted the underneath side of thejournal so that the rotating journal would pick up a thin film of thelubricant from the waste to maintain lubrication between the bearingbrass and the journal. According to the present invention improvedlubricant supplying means is provided within the journal box formaintaining a constant supply of the lubricant in the form of a film tothe journal in a manner that will now be set forth in detail. Thepresent lubricant supplying means is in the form of a unitarylubricating assembly 40 capable of insertion through the end openinginto the lubricant reservoir 11 and beneath the journal 21 for wipingcontact with the latter. The assembly 40 involves in its generalorganization a flexible deformable bagor pillow-like structure which, inits free state, may be substantially ilat and generally rectangular inboth longitudinal and transverse cross-section but which is readilydeformable and is voir 11 defined by the more or less semi-cylindricalconcentric surfaces of the reservoir bottom and the lower half of therotating journall21.

The bag-like structure 40 comprises an outer dual ithickness fabriccovering and an inner core or filling of 'copper mesh wadding togetherwith aligning, reinforcing .and centering means, as well as withcapillary wick structure as will appear presently. The dual thicknesscovering includes an outer woven fabric jacket 42 which may be ofrelatively heavy cotton strands resembling twine and an inner layer 43of less heavy cotton material such as canvas, the two layers of materialbeing suitably stitched along their own seams as well as being stitchedtogether at appropriate regions, the nature of the stitching beingimmaterial except insofar as the ultimate generally rectangular shape ofthe stitched structure is concerned. Disposed within the confines of theinner fabric layer 43 are a number of wads 39 of flexible material.These wads are similar in size to a mans fist and may be made ofexpanded metal or intertwined plastic or metal threads. They haveresilience but are sufiiciently stiff to retain their shape undermoderate pressure. These wads possess the advantage that they arereadily flexible and do not become intertangled with each other when anumber of them are packed together in the manner in which they arepacked into the covering 42, 43 during the manufacture of thelubricating units 40. For this reason the wads may be uniformly packedinto the bag covering with no regions of unequal density and when thebag as a whole is distorted from its flat condition so as to assume thecurved outline of the reservoir bottom wall and underneath side of thejournal 21, the various wads 29 will distribute themselves uniformly andthe entire mass will become equalized and homogeneous. Additionally,since the material of the individual wads present no sharp or cuttingedges, there will be no danger of the individual strands of the waddedmaterial cutting through or otherwise rupturing the dual thicknesscovering 4 2, 43.

Expanded metal mesh material such as copper, stainless steel or aluminumare preferred for use. Such material is well known in the art and thesame is to be distinguished from ordinary metal wool or shavings in thatit possesses a definite pattern structure. Expanded metal is made by thestaggered slitting longitudinally of a strip of sheet metal and thesubsequent pulling or stretching of the strip transversely to open upthe slits and create a series of openings through the sheet so that 'thelatter assume a uniform mesh pattern.

As best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the packed assembly 4% assumes ashape within the reservoir 11 so that it presents substantiallyconcentric semi-cylindrical top and bottom walls 44 and 45 respectively,lateral top wall extensions 41 (Fig. 2), a radial inside end wall 46,and an inclined outside wall 47. The curved top wall 44 is displaceddownwardly as at 48 (Fig. l) where the journal collar 34 projectsdownwardly from the contour of the cylindrical journal 21.

A limited amount of shape and substance is imparted to the bag 42, 43 bya marginal ribbing strip 49 which, except for its abut-ting ends, iscontinuous and extends transversely and arcuately along the front andrear edges of the bottom wall 45 and longitudinally along the upperedges of the top wall 41. This ribbing strip preferably .comprises anouter woven or knitted jacket 50 of fabric .material such as cotton,nylon or the like which may, if

.longitudinal'portions of the ribbing strip 49 along the .journal boxsidewalls 32 and 33.

At the rear end of the bag 42, 43 there is provided a quarter-roundcontact strip 53 which fits closely against .the arcuate shoulder 25 onthe journal axle 22 and follows the cylindrical contour thereof on theunderneath side of the latter. This strip 53 is formed of a suitableelastomeric material such as rubber, either natural or artificial, or a.rubber substitute and serves to prevent the bag from creeping inwardlyof the journal axle into the region of the dust guard 26. The strip 53is formed with a series of radially extending fiat attachment fingers ortines 54 (Fig. 3) which are stitched, stapled or otherwise secured as at55 to the radial end wall or face 46 of the bag structure. The arcuatesurface of the quarter-round strip 53 makes running contact with thearcuate shoulder 25 of the axle 22.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, the lubricant reservoir 11 isadapted to be partially filled with a. suit able lubricant oil, thelevel of such liquid within the reservoir being designated at 60. Inorder to apply this lubricant to the underneath side of the journal 21in the form of a suitable lubricating film, a mass of capillary tuftingis woven in and through the outer fabric covering layer 42 of the bag inthe upper regions thereof. This tufting is comprised of a number oflengths of wick material such as has been fragmentarily shown in Fig. 5including an outer knitted jacket 61 of cotton fibers over an inner coreof parallel wool strands 62 which may, if desired, be slightly twistedtogether. The various lengths of this wick material is stitched into thematerial of the outer covering 42 over the entire upper surface of thedeformed bag to provide a series of outer tuft loops .63 (Figs. 1 and 2)which resemble the looped tufts of an ordinary hooked rug. These loopsor tufts are adapted to engage the underneath surface of the journal 29and, by a capillary action, conduct the lubricant to the surface of thejournal in the form of a thin film.

In the operation of the lubricating assembly 40, the substantiallyhomogeneous mass of metal mesh material 39 constituting the filler orcore of the bag-like structure will extend uniformly through the body oflubricant 60 within the reservoir 11 so as to prevent sloshing of thislubricant within the reservoir due to motion of the car truck and willpromote free drainage of the lubricant from the bag-like structure whenit is withdrawn from said reservoir. A more effective capillary actionon the lubricant will be exerted by the continuous inner and outerfabric coverings 43 and 42 respectively so that the upper walls of thesecoverings will at all times be effectively damp with the lubricant. Theknitted cotton jacket 61 of the wick material will also exert acapillary action on the lubricant but the inner contained wool strands62 will exert a powerful capillary effect and these latter strands maybe relied upon to draw a generous quantity of the lubricant upwardlyfrom the confines of the bag and apply it through the covering 61directly to the surfaceof the journal 21.

The invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of partsshown in the accompanying drawing or described in this specification asvarious changes in the details of construction may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of the invention. Only insofar as theinvention has particularly been pointed out in the accompanying claimsis the same to be limited.

I claim:

1. The combination with a rotating journal of a railway car axle, ajournal bearing supported on said journal, and a journal box enclosingsaid journal and bearing and defining with the journal a lubricantreservoir, of means for applying lubricant to said journal and bearingcomprising a unitary, self-contained, bag-like structure including aclosed outer fabric covering enclosing within the same a quantity ofexpanded metal mesh material, said structure being deformed tocompletely fill the reservoir and bearing at its upper surface againstthe underneath side of the journal in wrap-around fashion, a marginalribbing strip secured to the outside of said fabric covering andextending longitudinally along the sides of the structure at the upperend thereof and being looped downwardly at the ends of the structure andfollowing the ends of the bottom wall of the structure.

2. The combination with a rotating journal of a railway car axle, ajournal bearing supported on said journal, a dust guard bearing on saidaxle, there being a rounded shoulder existing between the dust guardbearing and the journal bearing, and a journal box enclosing saidjournal and bearing and defining with the journal a lubricant reservoir,of means for supplying lubricant to said journal and bearing comprisinga unitary, selfcontained, bag-like structure including a closed outerfabric covering enclosing Within the same a quantity of expanded metalmesh material, said structure being deformed to completely fill thereservoir and bearing at the upper end thereof against the underneathsurface of the journal in wrap-aroundfashion coextensively with saidsurface of the journal, a quarter-round sealing strip formed of anelastomeric resilient material secured to the upper inside edge of saidbag-like structure and bearing coextensively against said roundedshoulder of said axle in sealing relation with respect thereto andprovided with supporting fingers attached to the side face of thebagl-ike structure to maintain the sealing strip in its operativeposition against said rounded shoulder, and a lubricant disposed withinsaid reservoir and impregnating said structure.

3. In combination with a rotating journal of a railway car axle, ajournal bearing supported on said journal, and a journal box enclosingsaid journal and said bearing and providing a reservoir beneath thejournal for containing a pool of lubricating oil; of means for applyinga film of said oil to said journal comprising a unitary bag-likestructure including an outer fabric covering of absorbent materialimmersed in said oil in the reservoir and functioning to elevate the oilto the journal by capillary action, and a resilient non-capillary bodyenclosed in said covering to support the top portion of the latteragainst the underneath side of said journal; the said resilientnon-capillary body being composed of metallic mesh material formed intoa plurality of individual wads to provide the desired resilience and topromote free drainage of oil therefrom whereby the said oil is elevatedand applied to the journal solely by the capillarity of said covering.

4. The combination structure defined in claim 3 wherein the saidbag-like structure is deformed to completely fill the reservoir and thetop and end walls of said outer covering include a plurality of tufts ofwoolen wick material formed into loops and extending outwardly from saidtop and end walls to absorb the oil and convey it to the journal.

5. The combination structure as defined in claim 4 wherein the saidouter covering includes an inner fabric bag containing the saidresilient body of non-capillary material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS403,141 Rogers May 14, 1889 485,265 Edgar Nov. 1, 1892 1,012,031Underwood Dec. 19, 1911 1,596,574 Becker Aug. 17, 1926 2,264,250Shoemaker Nov. 25, 1941 2,713,524 Hagy July 19, 1955 2,781,239 PotterFeb. 12, 1957 2,807,803 Rockwell Sept. 24, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,603Great Britain 1892

